Electric lamp



P. F. EARLY- ELECTRIC LAMP July 23, 1946.

Fil ed Oct. 16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTOR' PAUL E [4AM ATTORNEY 7 P. F. EARLY ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Oct. 16, l943 2 Shets-Sheeh 2 ATTO RNEY 1 INVENTOR Patented July 23, 1946 4 UNITED ,STATES PATENT yOFFlC E-" ELECTRIC LAM Paul F. Early, New Carlisle, Ohio, assignorto Standard Aircraft Products, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, I a corporation of Delaware Application October 16, 1943, Serial No. 506,482

, 4 Claims. 1 This invention relates to an electric lamp and more particularly to a lamp of a type known as a cockpit lamp, which is designed more particularly for use on military aircraft but is not limited to such use. v

In the operation of aircraft at night it is important that there should. be at least sufiicient illumination within the same to render the instrument panel visibl and to enable other instrumentalities to be observed and operated, and in the operation of military aircraftit is equally important that there should be no light in or on the same which would'be visible to enemy aircraft or from the ground when operating over enem territory. It has been proposed heretofore to equip military aircraft with a lamp, ,or lamps, which can be adjusted to provide a diffused vor flood light illumination when such illumination is not objectionable and, when concealment is necessary, to provide a concentrated beam, or spotlight, which can be confined to a'particular instrument orother restricted area which is to be illuminated.

It is one object of the invention to provide such a lamp of improved construction and operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp which can be quickly and easily adjusted to provide the desired illumination and which will be automatically retained in its adjusted position. l l

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp in which maximum adjustment may be effected by a relatively small movement of the adjusting element.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp in which the projected beam is sharply defined and free from stray. rays of light.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp in which the lamp bulb support and the circuit controlling element may be removed without the use of instruments and without breaking circuit connections.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp which can be mounted on a fixed support for easy adjustment with relation thereto and which can be easily dismounted for movement from place to place while connected with, a source of current supply,

A further object of the invention is to provide such a lamp with means whereby the conductor cable may be quickly and easily attached thereto or detached therefrom without the use of tools.

Other objects of the invention may appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional'view taken centrally through a of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of such a lamp partly in section; Fig. 3 is a transversesection taken on the line 33 of Fig. lookingin the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lamp bulb supporting and circuit controlling unit; Fig. 5 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the rotatable adjusting element; Fig.6 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the body member; Fig. '7 isa perspective view, partly broken away, of the key member; Fig; 8 is a per-, spective view, partly broken away, of the lens support; Fig. 9 is a detail View, partly in section,

be understood that the invention may take various forms and may. be used for various purposes.

In the illustrated embodiment the lamp comprises a substantially cylindrical casing which includes a normally stationary body memberI-O, a lens supporting member H in line with and adjustable lengthwise of the lamp with relation to the body member, a key element l2 to pre-. vent the rotation of the lens support with relation to thebody member, and an outer adjusting member l3 to impart axial movement to the lens support. The body member 10 is tubular and substantially cylindrical in shapeand hasv atits forward or inner end a circumferential flange M which is provided with notches .l5 forming keyways, and is also provided withmeanswhereby it may be detachably connected with a supporting structure and supported in a normally stationary but adjustable position The lens support II is also substantially cylindricalin form and is provided between. its ends withan 1 inwardly extending circumferential rib l6 against which a lens I! is held by means of a snaprlng l8. That portion of the len support in the rear of the len is provided with longitudinal grooves l9 forming keyways. The key member I2 is of a generally cylindrical construction and is provided on opposite sides thereof with outwardly extending portions 20 forming keys which have. a sliding fit in the keyways l5 and IQ of the body member and the lens support and constitute splines which hold the lens support against rota tion with relation to the body member. At its rear end the key member is provided with an 3 outwardly extending flange 2| which is arranged in the rear of the flange [4 of the body member to form a stop, as will be hereinafter explained. Mounted about the adjacent portions of the body member and the lens support is an adjusting device l3 so connected with the respective members that the rotation thereof willimpart axial movement to the lens support with relation to the adjusting device and will impart axial movement to the adjusting device with relation to the body member so that the lens support is quickly moved from one position to the other by a'relatively small rotative movement of the adjusting device. Preferably the adjusting device is in the form of a sleeve or barreland i provided at its respective ends with internal right hand and left hand threads 22 and 23 which engage corresponding threads 'on thebody member and on the lens support, so that the rotation of the barrel will impart rapid axial ,movement to the lens support as above explained. The key member .is connected with the barrel ,for movement therewith and, 'inthe present instance, this connection is effected by means of a series of inwardly projectingpins 24 rigidly mounted in the barrel and extending into a circumferential groove 25 in thekey member, so as .to permit the free rotation of the barrel with relation to the key member but'to hold the same against axial move- A lamp bulb is supported "Within the'fikey member, "in a manner which will be hereinafter described, and 'is'so arranged that when the lens is in its rearmost or 'fully retracted position the light'fromth'e lamp bulb will be diffused ,by the lens. 'and will provide ;a flood light-illumination. As-the lensmoves forwardly-from the lamp bulb the light is progressively concentrated into a sharply defined-beam so thatwhenthe lens is in its foremost position the beam will be of small diameter and may be confined *to the face of an instrument or other small area which is to beilluminated. To maintain the beam sharply defined and to eliminate stray rays of light shields are provided insidethe casing. vThekey member has an inwardly extending "flange '21 surrounding the lamp which serves to prevent-the light being reflectedonto the lens from the inner surfaces .of the members in the rear of'the flange. An annular shield 28, carried by the forward .portionof thekey member, has a central opening approximating the diameter of the lamp bulb and prevents the forward reflection of light 'from the adjacent surfaces of the key member and its flange, A conical shield "291is mounted on the lens supportadjacent the lens, the apex of the cone beingcut away to provide alight opening, this shield thusserving to prevent thereqflection of light onto the lens from the adjacent surfaces. The lens .is mounted in the lens sup- .It is also desirable .to provide the lens support in front o'fthe'jlen's with a. filter which Will serve to subdue the brilliancy of'the light. Such a filter is here shown at Was a disk of suitable color, and is preferably formed of red glass or trans-- lucent plastic material, which is mounted'in a holder 3| having a reduced inner'portion adapted to extend into the end of the lens support. Se-' cured to this inner portion of the holder 3|, on the respective sides thereof, are spring latching elements .32 which are provided with recesses 33 to engage an inwardly extending annular head on the lens support. The free ends of these latching elements extend into the inner ends of radial sockets 34 in the holder and are connected with plungers or. push buttons 35 slidably mounted in the respective sockets, so that the inward move- -ment of the push buttons will retract the latching elements and release the holder for removal from the lens support. The holder 3| is preferably connected with the lens support by a chain 36 or the like to prevent its being mislaid or lost when it is removed .from the lens support.

Removably mounted inthe rear end of the body member ID is .a circuit controlling unit, Figs. 1 and 4, which also supports thelam bulb and to which the conductors are led through a cable connection. As here shown, the body member It is provided nearits rear end with a lateral opening 3 and a metallic tubular element 38 is rigidly secured to thebody member in line with the opening'3l by means of screws 39, theheads of which are seated in a metallic plate 40 arranged within the body member and extendingacrossthe openingB'l. lating material 4| and slidably mounted within the tubular element is a contact member .42 which is urged outwardly by a spring 43. The current supplying conductors arepreferably contained in a'heavily insulated cable 44 to the end of which is rigidly secured a fitting 45 extending into the tubular element and having a flange 46 arranged to contact the outer end.of the tubular element and held in engagement therewith by a nut 41 threaded onto .theouter end ortion-of the tubularelement and having a flange 48 to engage the flange on the fitting '45 and thus clamp th latter against the end of the tubular'element. .Mounted in the fitting 45 and insulated therefrom is a contact member 49 with whichthe contact member 42 is held in engagement by thespring 43. One conductor .59 of the cable is connected with the contact member 49 and throu hthe contact member with the slidable contact with which is connected a, flexible conductor 5| extending through the opening Slinto the lamp casing. The second conductor ,52 is grounded on the fitting 4.5 and is connected through that fitting, tubular element 38 and the screws .39 with the conductingplatem .within the bodymember. ,Asecond flexible conductor 63 isconnected with the outer side of that portion of the plate 40 which extends across the opening 31' and extendsthr-ough the opening into the lamp casing. The plate 40 is notched or spaced from the .forward side of the opening to permit thepassage of the conductors and to limitthe lateral movement thereof.

The control unit preferably comprises ,a frame which includes a disk 53 of insulating .material, a metallic disk 5.4 spaced rearwardlyrfromjthe disk 53 andiramejmembers or bars 55 rigidly connecting the .disks one with the other, the bars being insulated from the disk .54. The forwardendportions of the bars 55 extend forwardly beyond 'the disk 53 and are secured to, and preferably formed integral with,..a socket 156 for the lamp'bulblfi.

Mounted .on .theinsulating 'disk.53 is a yieldaible contact'member 6| which constitutes a base or The tubular element is lined with insucenter contact for the socket and is formed from a bar of light metal, the intermediate portion of which is spaced from the disk and resiliently supported for contact with the end terminal of the lamp bulb by bending the end portions of the bar toward the disk, twistin the same through an arc of ninety degrees and then bending them transversely to the intermediate portion of the bar and securing the same to the disk. One end of the bar beyond its point of connection with the disk is bent outwardly from the disk and constitutes a terminal with which is connected the conductor 5| leading from the cable connection.

Supported on the frame between the disks 53 and 54 is a circuit controlling device or switch which is preferably in the form of an annular rheostat comprising a winding 5'! over which moves a rotatable contact finger 58, the ends of the winding being spaced apart to provide an open circuit position for the contact finger. The terminal 62 is connected with one end of the rheostat winding and projects inwardly beyond the insulating disk 53 where it is connected with the flexible conductor 63 leading from the cable connection. The contact finger 58 of the rheostat is secured to and electrically connected with a shaft 59 which is rotatably supported in a bearing 60 secured to and insulated from the rear disk 54 of the frame. The shaft projects rearwardly beyond the body member l and is provided with an actuating device here shown as a conical knob rigidly secured to the shaft, and which also serves to close the rear end of the tubular body member and prevent the escape of light therefrom. Conducting bars, in the present instance the frame members'55, are insulated from the disk 54 of the frame, as shown in Fig. 11, and are electrically connected with the lamp socket 56 and with the shaft 59 which carries the contact finger of the rheostat. As here shown, the ends of the conducting member 55 which are connected with the shaft are bent rearwardly along the bearing fifl and a cup-shaped metallic washer 54 supported about the bearing is pressed into firm engagement with the contact members by a nut 65 threaded on the bearing. Thus the current flows from the conductor 63 through the terminal 62, winding 51, finger 58, shaft 59, bearing 60, conductor bars 55, lamp socket 56, lamp bulb 26 and resilient contact to the flexible conductor 5|. The frame fits snugly within the body member I!) and is removably retained therein by yieldable fingers or clips 66 which are secured to the frame, and are here shown as integral with the metallic disk 54, and which extend over the exterior surface of the body member and enter recesses therein. Thus the unit may be inserted in or removed from the body member without tools of any kind. The conductors 5| and 63 extend forwardly from the cable connection to the forward end of the control unit and ar of such length that the control unit may be withdrawn and moved a sufiicient distance from the body member to permit the same to be examined, or a new lamp bulb inserted, without breaking any of the circuit conmotions.

Th lamp is provided with a detachable mounting which in the form here shown comprises a base adapted to be mounted on a wall or other suitable supporting structure and having an outwardly extending socket portion 11 in which is removably mounted a stud 12, the socket and stud being preferably non-circular to prevent the rotation of the stud. Thestud is provided near its outer end with a flange 13 and has at its outer end a circular head 14 which is spaced from the flange by a groove 15. Mounted on this stud is a pair of jaws 16 each having at one end an internal arcuate recess 11 to receiv a portion of and to be rotatably supported by .the head 14, and having its other end substantially semi-circular, as shown at 18, the end portions 18 being adapted to extend about and form a bearing for a supporting element on the body portion of the lamp, the tubular element 38 of the cabl connection being employed for that purpose in the present construction. The two jaws are connected one to the other and retained in engagement with the end of the stud l2 and the supporting element 38 by a screw 16 which'extends through one jaw and is threaded into the other jaw, thereby connecting the jaws with the stud for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of the stud and connecting the supporting element 38 and the lamp with the jaws for rotation about an axis transverse to the stud. By a proper adjustment of the screw the friction between the jaws and the parts connected therewith may be so regulated that the lamp may be easily adjusted about on or both axes to a selected position and will be retained in that position until positive force is applied thereto. The stud I2 is provided with a groove 19 to receive a spring pressed ball detent mounted in a fitting 8| secured to the socket member H, 5 the detent thus normally retaining th stud in the socket but enabling the same to be withdrawn so that the lamp may b moved from place to place, within the range permitted by the conductor cable.

While Ihave shown and described one embodi ment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In an electric lamp, a tubular body member having adjacent itsrearend a lateral opening, means within said body member for supporting a lamp bulb, a metal contact plate secured to the inner surface of said body member adjacent said lateral opening, a cable attaching device comprising a metallic tubular element rigidly secured" to said body member exteriorly thereof and in line with said lateral opening and electrically connected with said plate, a contact member yieldably supported in and insulated from said tubular element, means for detachably connecting a conductor cable with said tubular element, for connecting one conductor of said cable with said yieldable contact member and for connecting the other conductor of said cable with said tubular element, and means within said body member including conductors and a switch for connecting said. contact member and said plate in circuit with said lamp bulb.

2. In an electric lamp, a tubular body member having adjacent its rear end a lateral opening, means within said body member for supporting a lamp bulb, a metal plate secured, to the inner surface of said body member adjacent said lateral opening, a cable attaching device comprising a metallic tubular element rigidly secured to said body member in line with said lateral opening, electrically connected with said plate and having its outer end screw threaded, a contact member slidably .mounted in and insulated from said tubular attaching element, a spring urging said contact member toward the outer end of said tubular element, a fitting adapted to be rigidly secured tothe end of a conductor cable, extending into said tubular element and having a flange to engage the end of the latter, a nut on the threaded end portion of said tubular element having a flange to hold the flange on said fitting in contact with the end of said tubular member, an insulated contact member supported by said I fitting within said tubular attaching element for switch with said lamp bulb. j

3. In an electric lamp comprising a tubular body member having near its rear end means for connecting a. conductor cable therewith, a control unit including a frame removably supported in said body member, havingresilient means for 1 ing a resilient base on said disk, a rheostat carried by said frame and having an annular winding and a contact member movable over said winding, 2. terminal adjacent said disk connected with one end of said winding, and a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, having supporting and electrical connection with the movable contact member of said rheostat and projecting be- 7 yond the rear end of said body member, an-ac tuating device connected with said shaft; a conducting member supported by said frame and electrically connected with said shaft and said socket, and flexible conductors connected respectively with the base of said'lamp socket and the terminal for said rheostat winding and extending rearwardly to and connected with said cable connecting means.

4. In an electric lamp, a tubular body member having adjacent its rear end a lateral opening,

means Within said body member for supporting a lamp bulb, a metallic tubular element rigidly secured to said body member exteriorly thereof and in line with said opening therein, a contact member in said tubular element and insulated therefrom, a metallic fitting detachably supported by and electrically connected with said tubular element and adapted to be secured to a conductor cable and to be electrically connected with the conductors of said cable, a contact member carried' by said fitting, adapted to be connected with the other conductor of said cable and engaging the contact member in'said tubular element, means for electrically connecting said tubular element and its contact member in circuit with said lamp bulb, means for adjustably mounting said lamp including a member having opposed parts embracing said tubular element and forming a bearing in which said tubular element is rotatably supported, and means whereby said bearing member may be mounted on a relatively fixed support for movement about an axis transverse to said tubular element.

PAUL F. EARLY. 

